Northern State Multi Service Center

Last Updated: February 2021

Información en español abajo

Toxics Cleanup Program Brownfield Success Story: Sedro-Woolley Innovation for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Center

Fact Sheet (January 2021)

Cleanup Process Moves Toward Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study

Response to Comments (April 2019)

Fact Sheet (March 2019)

Ecology conducted a public comment period (March 18 – April 16, 2019) on an agreed order (legal agreement) and a public participation plan for the Northern State Multi Service Center cleanup site (Site). The Site is located on the eastern edge of Sedro-Woolley in Skagit County. The property was formerly owned and operated by Washington State as the Northern State Hospital and is now owned by the Port of Skagit (Port). 

Ecology reviewed and considered all comments received on the legal agreement. Based on Ecology’s evaluation of the comments, no changes were made to the documents, and they have been finalized. (Final Agreed Order)

Ecology issued a Response to Comments to address comments received.

En español El Departamento de Ecología le invita a revisor los documentos para el sitio que está contaminado Northern State Multi Service Center en Sedro-Woolley.   Si le gustaría recibir este documento en español, por favor llame al 509-329-3444 o envíe un correo electrónico a preguntas@ecy.wa.gov.  Traducciones de avisos públicos para este sitio de limpieza se preparan bajo solicitud.

The Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) is Washington’s environmental cleanup law). It provides requirements for contaminated site cleanup and sets standards that protect human health and the environment. Ecology enacts the MTCA and oversees cleanups. The MTCA site cleanup process is completed in steps (see graphic below) over a variable timeline.

• Early 2019:  Held a 30-day public comment period (March 18 – April 16, 2019).  Held a public meeting on March 27, 2019 (presentation link).
• Later 2019:  Ecology will finalize the Agreed Order (legal agreement).  Two Interim Actions, detailed in the Agreed Order, are planned to begin in Summer 2019.

Current Northern State Multi Service Center cleanup site Public Participation Plan

This plan includes information for the public regarding opportunities to get involved in the Site cleanup process. The outreach activities and mechanisms presented reflect Ecology’s current plans for keeping the public informed and for receiving information and comments from the public.

Site History
The approximately 225-acre Northern State Multi Service Center cleanup site (Site) is located on the eastern edge of Sedro-Woolley in Skagit County. It was formerly Washington State’s Northern State Hospital, constructed in 1912. The hospital treated psychiatric patients until it closed in 1973. The Northern State Hospital is on the National Registry of Historic Places.

1912-1973: Northern State Hospital treats psychiatric patients.
2014: Interlocal multi-agency agreement drafted.
2015:

• Interlocal agreement amended.
• Property is annexed into Sedro-Woolley’s city limits.
• Subarea Plan showing the property development is completed.
• Environmental Impact Statement completed.

2018:  Washington State transfers property ownership to Port of Skagit.

SWIFT Center
In June 2018 the Washington Department of Enterprise Services transferred ownership to the Port of Skagit. The property’s buildings are currently leased to multiple tenants. The Port of Skagit, Skagit County, and the City of Sedro-Woolley are partnering on re-use of the property as the the Sedro-Woolley Innovation for Tomorrow Center or SWIFT Center, a mixed use campus focused on technology and innovation.
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Contamination
Contamination is from the former state hospital operations and the materials used in the Site’s historic buildings. Preliminary testing found contamination in:

• Soil:  metals, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs), tetrachloroethene (PCE) and petroleum products.
• Groundwater: metals, PCE, trichloroethene (TCE), and petroleum products.

Contaminant levels within the Northern State Multi Service Center are present at potentially harmful levels and must be addressed under Washington's toxics cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA).

• Fact Sheet: Agreed Order and Public Participation Plan (March 2019)
• Environmental Site Assessment, Phase II (October 2018)
• Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (October 2018)
• Focused Site Assessment Report (January 2015)
• Focused Site Assessment Work Plan (September 2014)
• Integrated Planning Grant (March 2014)

A portion of this site is being managed by the Pollution Liability Insurance Agency (PLIA). For more information please see PLIA’s PTAP website or contact Kristin Evered.

Note: Records for this site could be held at both Ecology and PLIA.